Method and apparatus for the modular display of soap and soap products

Abstract

A vertical soap article display rack is attached to the front of grocery shelves. The display includes one to six modules, where each module is constructed of a substantially open frame such as wire. The module includes a bottom support with a front retaining lip; and a circumferential frame, such as a stiff wire to contain a stack of soap articles, and a removal slot between the frame and the bottom support. A soap article may be placed in a stack within the frame and removed by a customer through the removal slot. A portion of the front may be open.

1 . A display system for soap articles, the system comprising 
 a first display shelf,    a second display shelf, such that the second display shelf is lower than the first display shelf;    a plurality of individual soap containers, such that each container holds a packaged soap article; and    a display rack comprising 
 a vertical support element affixed to the front of the first display shelf and to the front of the second display shelf,  
 a plurality of display modules, such that each module is supported by the vertical support, and such that a stack of soap containers may be placed in each module, each module comprising 
 a bottom support element which supports the stack of soap containers within the module,  
 a frame extending substantially around the module, such that the frame confines the stack of soap containers within the module, and  
 a slot between the frame and the bottom support element, the slot having a height greater than the height of a soap container, such that the lowermost container within the stack of containers may be removed through the slot.  
 
   
   
   
       2 . The display system of  claim 1  wherein 
 the bottom support element further comprises a lip, such that the lip is positioned in the lower portion of the slot and engages a portion of the lowest soap container in the module in order to retain the container within the module, such that the container must be raised over the lip in order to remove the container through the slot.    
   
   
       3 . The display system of  claim 1  wherein 
 the vertical support element is a pair of wires; and    the module frame is comprised of wire.    
   
   
       4 . The display system of  claim 3  wherein the module frame further comprises 
 a first substantially vertical rear wire segment;    a second substantially vertical rear wire segment;    a first side vertical wire segment;    a second side vertical wire segment;    a first front vertical wire segment;    a second front vertical wire segment;    a substantially horizontal wire segment attached to the first front vertical wire segment, the first side vertical wire segment, the first vertical rear wire segment, the second vertical rear wire segment, the second side vertical wire segment, and the second front vertical wire segment; and    a substantially horizontal bottom wire segment attached to the first front vertical wire segment, the first side vertical wire segment, the first vertical rear wire segment, the second vertical rear wire segment, the second side vertical wire segment, and the second front vertical wire segment.    
   
   
       5 . The display system of  claim 4  wherein 
 there is a gap in the top wire segment between the first front vertical wire segment and the second front vertical wire segment; and    there is a gap in the bottom wire segment between the first front vertical wire segment and the second front vertical wire segment, such that a portion of the front of the module frame is open.    
   
   
       6 . The display system of  claim 4  wherein 
 a first wire is bent into a general L-shape such that the first wire provides the first vertical rear wire segment, the second vertical rear wire segment, a portion of the bottom support, and a lip extending above the bottom support;    a second wire provides the first side vertical wire segment;    a third wire provides the second side vertical wire segment; and    a fourth wire provides the top wire segment, the first front vertical wire segment, the second front vertical wire segment, and the lower wire segment.    
   
   
       7 . The display system of  claim 6  further comprising a fifth bent wire providing a portion of the bottom support.  
   
   
       8 . The display system of  claim 1  wherein there in there are four modules and each module contains a different soap article.  
   
   
       9 . The display system of  claim 1  wherein the rack is mounted to the first display shelf with a clamp mechanism.  
   
   
       10 . A display rack for soap articles, the rack comprising 
 a support element, such that the support element may be affixed to a support structure;    a plurality of display modules aligned vertically on the support element such that each module comprises 
 a bottom support element, such that the bottom support element will support a stack of the soap articles,  
 a frame, such that the frame will contain the stack of soap articles, and  
 a removal slot between the bottom support element and the frame, such that a single soap article may be removed from the stack through the slot.  
   
   
   
       11 . The display rack of  claim 10  wherein 
 the bottom support element further comprises a lip, such that the lip is positioned in the lower portion of the removal slot and engages a portion of the lowest soap article in the display module in order to retain the soap article within the display module, such that the soap article must be raised over the lip in order to remove the soap article through the removal slot.    
   
   
       12 . The display rack of  claim 10  wherein 
 the vertical support element is at least one wire; and    the module frame is comprised of wire.    
   
   
       13 . The display rack of  claim 10  wherein the module frame further comprises 
 a first substantially vertical rear wire segment;    a second substantially vertical rear wire segment;    a first side vertical wire segment;    a second side vertical wire segment;    a first front vertical wire segment;    a second front vertical wire segment;    a substantially horizontal top wire segment attached to the first front vertical wire segment, the first side vertical wire segment, the first vertical rear wire segment, the second vertical rear wire segment, the second side vertical wire segment, and the second front vertical wire segment; and    a substantially horizontal bottom wire segment attached to the first front vertical wire segment, the first side vertical wire segment, the first vertical rear wire segment, the second vertical rear wire segment, the second side vertical wire segment, and the second front vertical wire segment.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein 
 there is a gap in the top wire segment between the first front vertical wire segment and the second front vertical wire segment; and    there is a gap in the bottom wire segment between the first front vertical wire segment and the second front vertical wire segment, such that a portion of the front of the module frame is open.    
   
   
       15 . The display rack of  claim 10  wherein the module frame further comprises 
 a first wire bent into a general L-shaped bracket, the first wire comprising 
 a first vertical rear wire segment,  
 a second vertical rear wire segment,  
 a first bottom support segment,  
 a second bottom support segment, and  
 an upturned lip connecting the first bottom support segment to the second bottom support segment; and  
   a second wire bent into a containment frame, the second wire comprising 
 a substantially circumferential top section,  
 a substantially circumferential lower section,  
 a first front vertical support extending between the top section and the lower section, and  
 a second front vertical support extending between the top section and the lower section, such that the lower section is supported above the first bottom support segment at a height greater than the height of a soap article, thereby creating a removal slot so that a soap article may be removed from a stack of soap articles placed in the containment frame.  
   
   
   
       16 . The display rack of  claim 15  wherein the module frame further comprises 
 a bottom support element attached to the first bottom support segment and attached to the second bottom support segment;    a first side wire extending from the top section to the bottom support element; and    a second side wire extending from the top section to the bottom support element.    
   
   
       17 . A method of displaying soap articles, the method comprising 
 mounting a display rack to grocery display shelves, the rack comprising 
 a support means,  
 a plurality of vertically arranged display modules attached to the support means, each module comprising 
 a bottom support means,  
 a side containment means, and  
 a removal slot between the bottom support means and the side containment means;  
 
   placing a first group of soap articles in a first display module; and    placing a second group of soap articles in a second display module.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising 
 packaging the first group of soap articles in a substantially transparent clamshell plastic case; and    packaging the second group of soap articles in a substantially transparent clamshell plastic case.